Electrical battery.



, W. HOPPIE.

l LECTRICAL BATTERY.

LlcATloN man JUNE 24. |914.

Patented May 25, 1915.

mi. f I m V. n fz... ,0U .-.irai |.1|1I1| [gill y ammo@ WlLLmMHoPPIE narran sirenas Partnr onirica WILLIAM HOPPIE, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, ASSIGNOB TO HOPPIE ELECTRICAL APPLIANGE COMPANY, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION 0F UTAH,

ELECTRICAL BATTERY.

i,iaasec.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 19.15.

Application filed June 24, 1914. Serial No. 847,070.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, WILLIAM Horrrn, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Salt LakeCity, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Electrical Batteries, of which the following is a speciication, reference being had to the accom panying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in electrical batteries and has relation more particularly to a deviceof this general character known as a dry battery; and an object of the invention is to provide a device of this general character having novel and improved means whereby the life thereof may be materially lengthened and wherein the possibility of evaporation or crystallization of the interior contents of the battery or outside moisture penetrating therein is eliminated.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invenl tion to provide a novel and improved device of this general character wherein mercury and aluminum salts are decomposed by chemical aflinity and the metallic atoms electiolytically deposited on the Zinc, protecting and prolonging the life of the zinc, making it a more active element and generating a higher electromotive force.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts o f my 1m proved devicewhereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the appended claims.

fIn order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein l Figure l is a sectional View taken through a battery constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating a batt-ery constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of my invention.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, l denotes a container formed from a compressed pulp, such as card-board, andy comprising a plurality of laminations bey shellac or the like.

The container is suitably treated to render the same impervious to chemical action and moisture. For this purpose, I prefer to employ a mixture comprising resin, two parts; and eight parts of a substance impervious to chemical action and moisture, such as paraffin wax, asphaltum or the like. This mixture is heated to 225o F. and the container l is kept submerged therein until it has become thoroughly impregnated with the mixture, the treatment being continued as long as any of the resinous solution will be absorbed. After the container becomes dry it is coated with shellac or some other hard varnish which coating serves to resist external heat.

2 denotes a thin layer of zinc foil positioned within the container and contacting with the inner surface thereof and adapted Atainer until the absorptive layer 4 is thoroughly saturated with the compound, after which the remainder of the compound is poured out of the container and preserved for future use.

5 denotes the carbon pole inserted within the container at substantially the axial center thereof and projecting a predetermined distance therefrom and having its projected extremity provided with the binding post 6.

7 indicates the filler tightly packed within the container and surrounding the pole 5. In the present embodiment of my invention, the filler 7 comprises 3 oz. of powdered manganese dioxid thoroughly mixed with 9 oz. of powderedcarbon. This mixture is then moistened with the following separately prepared solution: Zinc chlorid dissolved in Water until it tests 328' Baume` scale. Sal

ammoniac is then added until the solution is thoroughly saturatedtherewith. To this solution is then added a soluble mercurio salts, such as mercu'ry bichlorid in ratio .of about one-half grain to each cell. In assembling the 'device -eare must be exercised `that the pillar 7 notcontact lwith the zinc layer or plate 2. In view of the fore" perceived that the life ofvv the battery is greatly prolonged, as the aluminumi4 salts are a part of a positive plate and held in the form of a paste to the surfaceof the z inc layer 2. The mercury salts are mixed with thenegative plate or carbon. In action the mercury uniteswith the aluminum salts and by the great chemical aflinity mercuryhas for zinc, the mercurial atoms combine with the zinc While the external circuit is open. When the external circuit is closed, the metallic atoms tend to travel to.

the carbon and in this movement the aluminum combines with the mercury saltsand returns with the mercurial salts to the zinc layer-when the circuit is open. This coating on the zinc layer orpositive plate protects it from local action While the circuit is open. I also find that.the use of aluminum chlorid prevents the zinc from becoming brittle and -thereby enables the use of a very thin zinc layer or plate 2, which is much cheaper and' not so easily destructible, thereby reducing materially thel cost of production and lengthening `the life of the zinc layer by several times that of a cell Within the zinc layer or plate amalgamatedwith mercury v only by reason of the fact that it .permits the current to Vbe employed in useful Work alone and not in local action. The life of the battery is also prolonged( by its mechanical structure, inthat it is impossible for the contained moisture to escape. In the ordiv.nary zinc container battery the zinc plate, is

the outside container and'if a hole appears through faulty soldering, or is eaten through "by reason of the corrosion, the battery dries out. `and dies Whether' being used or not, since the .zinc itself forms the outer wall of the battery. The outside container 1 in the vdevice at issue Ithoroughly prevents evaporation regardless of the condition of the zinc layer or plate 2; n

After the variouselements have been assembled, as hereinbefore stated, a washer 8, preferably of card-board, is fitted snugly y' around the carbon pole 5 and snugly Icontacts With the inner .Wall of then container and on this washer 8 is placed a thin layer 9 'of saw-dust or the like and upon this -layer l 9 is placed a second card-board Washerl 10 similar to the .Washer 8 and over the Washer 10 -is 'placed-the sealing compound 11,rvvhich may be as`now generally employed.

In the form ofinvention disclosed in Fig.

Aing, it Will be readily 2, the various elements are the same-except c, vin lieu of the absorptive layer or plate 4 the` carbon elements, including the pole and filler, are placedin a small cotton'sack 12 and wrapped tightly with the cord lllland set in'the container 1a which has been previously prepared, as set forth with relation to the contamer 1, care being exercised to see ythat the bag does not contactwith the zinc layer or plate 2. I find it of advantage to have the same spacedI therefrom about one-eighth of an inch. The'bag is then surrounded by the gelatinous paste 15 and this gelatinous paste is permitted to remain in the vcontainer and serves as the exciting paste. This form of construction makes a very long-lived battery, but theamperage is slightly lower, due to the increased internal resistance of the extra amount of paste. The paste '15 is of substantially the same mixture ashas been set forth relative to the saturation of the absorptive layer or plate 4 but is mixed as follows: The gelatin is soaked until soft in a small quantity of a solution of zinc chlorid dissolved in water until it tests 32 Baume scale, to which sal saturated. The surplus solution is poured off and the gelatin warmed yand the glycerin added. Then the sal. ammoniac and zinc chlorid are dissolved in as little Water as possible and added to the glycerinand gelatin, the aluminum chlorid being added last. In this second form of my invention, the

:carbon moistening solution is prepared by.

'usv

"ammoniac is added until the solution is dissolving zinc chlorid in Water until the may be assembled, and it will also be ob-fA vious thatv my invention is susceptible of some change and modication Without mate-x` 'rial departure from thel principles rand spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention-in-practice.

I claim :A

1. An' electrolyte comprising'glycerin 1 l oz., gelatin 8 oz.,l sal ammoniac 8oz., aluminum' chlorid 2 oz., vand zincchlorid 8 oz. v 2l "A battery of the character described inelud'ing a container formed of pu1p,..and a metallic Winding embedded therein.

3 .nA device of the characterl described comprising a containen'a zinc plate therein, a'layer of absorbent material vin contact with the inner face of the zinc layer rsaturated with a mixture including' aluminumchlorid, and a filler including mercuriel salts.

4r. A battery of the character described in- .5 cluding a container formed of pulp, and a reinforce for the container embedded within the pulp.

in testimony whereof 1I hereunto aiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLAM HOPPXE.

Witnesses:

MARY DIANA BEACH, ROBERT H. Bummeln. 

